Andrew, age 18

Educational Equity Initiative

With the launch of our Educational Equity Initiative, PYB acknowledges that in order to best serve all youth in need of our services, it is imperative for us to confront the inequity within our own organization. PYB's equity statement, below, demonstrates our commitment to fully address our current educational achievement gaps between students of color and white students, and to create an equitable organization for all students and staff.

Portland YouthBuilders Equity Statement

At PYB, we are committed to creating a community where our students and staff can thrive and reach their full potential. However, we recognize that inequity, intentional and unintentional, has always existed in the United States.There is a false promise that anyone can achieve success through hard work. Our nation was built upon the labor, ideas and efforts of exploited people who were denied success. Oppression continues to thrive today, sustaining the wealth and power of the dominant culture and minimizing access to opportunities and resources for everyone else.

At PYB, we believe that communities are strengthened when diversity is honored. We believe we have a responsibility to interrupt and confront inequity. We value the unseen and unacknowledged capabilities and talents of our students. We believe in helping our students recognize the value and contributions of their race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, faith, socioeconomic status and country of origin. It is not only vital to their success but essential to our purpose.

At PYB, we commit to continuously reflect and challenge the ways in which we, as a community, and as individuals, perpetuate inequity. Remaining passive or neutral makes us complicit in the oppression of others. By seeing, hearing, and valuing the diversity and strength of our students and staff, we hope to create connection and growth for everyone. This work will be hard. We will make mistakes. Because we know this work requires discomfort and causes pain, we commit to treating each other with care. Change begins by acknowledging the decency and dignity that every human being deserves.